Storage and display structure for golf clubs and the like



July 30, 1968 T, s o ET AL STORAGE AND DISPLAY STRUCTURE FOR GOLF CLUBS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1966 J i-7J T. K, STEMBOL ET AL 3,394,817

July 30, 1968 STORAGE AND DISPLAY STRUCTURE FOR GOLF CLUBS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 14, 1966 United States Patent 3 394 811 STORAGE AND DISPLAY STRUCTURE FOR GOLF CLUBS AND THE LIKE Theodore K. Stembol, 8727 Sheridan St, and William L. 4953 Williams St., both of Montague, Mich.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A storage and display construction in the form of a walled, generally cubic structure having a plurality of apertures extending through its outer walls and supporting and guiding means within it for holding and properly positioning the ends of elongate objects such as golf clubs which have been inserted through the aforesaid apertures, such that these end are maintained out of contact with each other throughout the interior of the structure while the opposite end of each such object (such as the head portion of a golf club) protrudes outwardly of the structure, beyond the outer wall thereof.

This invention relates to the storage and display of elongate objects such as golf clubs and the like, and more particularly to a new concept in a structure for storing a great number of such objects while simultaneously displaying each individually.

Objects such as golf clubs having a considerable length but a relatively small cross section create a consistent problem with regard to their storage and display, since the volume of space required to effectively display such objects is disproportionately large when compared to the actual size of the objects themselves. With specific reference to golf clubs, selected sets of clubs are ordinarily displayed by propping each club upright along a convenient vertical support surface, such as an adjacent wall, sales counter, or the like. Only a limited number of clubs may be displayed at any given time in this manner, inasmuch as only a few sets of clubs are sufiicient to entirely fill the avalaible space along a wall or the like, while the interior of the room cannot be utilized for display purposes due to the lack of propping facilities.

To be sure, a few varieties of fixed or revolving racks for holding a limited number of clubs in a vertical position are available and are at times used. The usefulness of such racks is very limited, however, and they do not provide a truly satisfactory answer to the problem, since they are cumbersome and not in themselves appealing to the eye. Further, they tend to clutter a room because if they are large enough to contain a satisfactory number of clubs, they are definitely a very large and unsightly obstacle. However, when clubs are merely aligned vertically adjacent each other along a wall or the like, as is the general practice, the examination by prospective purchasers of individual clubs is difficult and cumbersome. Frequently, one club will be bumped into the clubs on either side of it, and this may cause a whole series of clubs to fall against each other and cascade onto the floor in domino fashion, thereby scratching and marring many of the clubs and producing confusion and disorder. Nonetheless, this is the method ordinarily utilized in pro shops and the like across the country, where golf clubs are sold.

The present invention has as one of its major objects the provision of a novel storage and display structure by which an exceedingly great number of golf clubs may be displayed while occupying the smallest possible space, eliminating the necessity for lining such clubs up along vertical walls and the like.

3,394,817 Patented July 30, 1968 A further important object of the present invention is to provide a storage and display structure of the foregoing nature, in which each club is independently retained out of contact with other clubs, thereby protecting all of the clubs against scratches, marring, and the like.

The foregoing major objects of the invention and the advantages thereof, together with other objects and advantages equally a part thereof, will become increasingly apparent following a consideration of the ensuing specification and its appended claims, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying illustrative draw ings setting forth preferred embodiments of the invention.

Briefly stated, the present invention comprises a structure of block-like three-dimensional form in which apertures in its outer surface communicate directly with tubular or other sheath-like receiving and guiding elements arranged to store the handle or shaft portion of a golf club or the like hidden inside the structure while allowing the club head or other such opposite end to protrude outwardly of the aforesaid outer surface, such that a good display of the protruding club heads is provided while the inserted handle end thereof is hidden from view and preferably occupies a place in a stack-like arrangement of other such handles wherein each handle is out of contact with the others, whereby the total number of such golf clubs or other objects which can effectively be displayed is maximized in relation to the space occupied by the total display.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view showing two sides of the novel display structure;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, overhead perspective view of a preferred form of an interior component for the device;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, overhead perspective view of a pair of alternative interior structures for the device; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, overhead perspective view of a second pair of alternative interior structures useable in the device.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, the general nature of the display structure 10 is clearly apparent from FIG. 1. Basically, the structure 10 is preferably a relatively large (perhaps six feet by four feet by four feet) box-like device having peripheral display surfaces such as 12 and 14. As illustrated, these surfaces are essentially vertically disposed, although as will be clear upon further examination of this specification, other surface orientations are quite possible, including both curved and planar surfaces disposed at various angles to the horizontal. Consequently, the words generally vertically disposed as used herein are intended to include all such surface orientations as are compatible with the concept to be related. -It will 'be noted that each display surface has a plurality of apertures 16 formed therein, which preferably are arranged in spaced horizontal rows. Each such aperture, and an internal structure of a type to be noted subsequently, serves to provide a storage space for one golf club or other elongate object. As seen in FIG. 1, the shaft of a club is inserted into each such aperture, while the club head protrudes outwardly beyond the associated display surface, so as to be clearly visible from the exterior of the device.

Inside the structure 10 is located a desired number of means 18 (FIG. 2), each of which forms a plurality of individual hollow passages 20. The different individual means 18 are located so that the various passages 20 are in alignment and communication with the apertures 16 extending through the display surfaces of the structure, so that when the shaft of a golf club is slid through a given aperture, it slides directly into the hollow passage communicating with that aperture and inwardly into the interior of the overall structure.

The preferred means 18 is seen in more detail in FIG. 3. This includes a peripheral frame having sides 22, 24, 26, and 28 and a central brace 30 extending across the frame, between sides 22 and 26. A plurality of individual tubular members 32 are supported by the frame and extend parallel to each other from one end of the frame to the other, through the central brace 30. Sides 24 and 28 preferably have a series of holes bored therein of appropriate size to supportingly receive the ends of the tubular members 32, with the holes in one of the said sides extending completely therethrough, so that the tubular members may extend through that side in open communication with one of the rows of apertures 16. If desired, the tubular members may be sufficiently long to extend completely through the apertures aligned therewith, with the ends of the members flush with the display surfaces forming the outside periphery of the structure. Also, the tubular members may either be secured in their supporting frame, or only snugly fitted thereinto so that they may be withdrawn through the apertures 16. In this manner a given tube may be replaced with another tube having a different wall thickness, to vary the size of the passages within the tubes in a desired manner.

In the assembly of the display structure, each of the several means 18 is stacked one atop another, with the longitudinal axis of the tubular members in each succeeding frame located at right angles to the axes of the members positioned therebeneath, so that the shafts of the golf clubs in each horizontal row spatially intersect and lie across the shafts of clubs in the rows just above and just below, in stacked relation, but are offset or spaced vertically therefrom so as to not actually make contact with them. Thus, the height of the frame which supports the tubular members determines the vertical separation of the criss-crossed tubes within the structure, and also the spacing between the rows of outwardly protruding golf club heads, with the arrangement being that in proceeding around the structure 10, the protruding club heads in a given horizontal row thereof will be slightly higher than (i.e., offset from) the protruding heads in a corresponding row on a preceding side of the structure. That is, if the structure be square in hori zontal cross section, a given row of clubs (for example, the bottom row) on the front display surface will occupy a first horizontal position, the bottom row of clubs on one side display surface will be slightly higher, the bottom row of clubs on the back surface will be slightly higher than the row on the said side, the bottom row of clubs on the other remaining side will be slightly higher than those on the back side, and the second row of clubs from the bottom on the front side will be slightly higher than the said bottom row on the said other side, and so on. Using a passage-forming means such as 18, the display surfaces such as 12 and 14 of the structure 10 comprise structural side walls such as 34 and 36 (FIG. 2), which together form an enclosure which retains the several means 18 in their vertically stacked relation without the necessity of other fastening or supporting means.

It is to be noted that the means 18 forming the passages within the display structure 10 may satisfactorily be formed from other specific construction designs than that illustrated in FIG. 3. For example, second and third embodiments 18' and 18", respectively, are illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. In FIG. 4, the means 18 comprise generally rectangular blocks or slabs of generally solid and suitably rigid structural material, preferably a foamed or other moldable plastic substance. The blocks or slabs have a plurality of tubular recesses or passages 32' formed therein, which serve the same purpose as the tubular members 32 seen previously. When the structural blocks are formed of the preferred plastic type substance, the tubular recesses or passages 32' are readily formed through molding techniques to render the entire means 18' readily and economically producible in great numbers. As in the case of the frame and individual tubes comprising the means 18 described previously, means 18 is stacked one upon another to form the interior of the display structure 10, where they are retained through the presence of peripheral side walls, such as 34 and 36 seen in FIG. 2.

It should be pointed out that it may be possible to form the entire display structure 10 of a single monolithic plastic or other block, which would in effect be the equivalent of many integral thicknesses of means such as 18', in such a configuration as this, side walls would not be strictly necessary. It should also be pointed out that the individual tubular membersof any of the means 18 need not necessarily be as long as the elongate objects to be stored and displayed, but instead may be shorter in length than the objects or have an inner terminal wall which renders the effective length of the tube or tubular passage shorter in length than a golf club or other object. When the inserted end of a given object is in contact with such a terminal wall, a predetermined portion at the other end of the object will remain protruding outwardly from the display device, so that all of this protruding portion may be visibly displayed.

Of other possible design configurations, a third specific possible manner of providing passage-forming means inside the display structure is seen at 18" in FIG. 5. As will readily be observed, means 18 is similar in nature to means 18 of FIG. 4, in that it is also a block-like structure of suitably rigid material. Means 18", however, has a series of semi-cylindrical grooves formed along each major side thereof, with the grooves on one side being located perpendicular to the grooves on the other side. Consequently, when two of the means 18" are stacked one atop the other with the grooves of each in alignment, the cooperating blocks define tubular recesses much like those seen at 32 in FIG. 4. As in the case of the other embodiments discussed previously, the grooves formed in the surfaces of means 18 may (as illustrated) terminate short of one of the edges thereof, so as to provide a terminal end wall against which the inserted end of an elongate object may rest to position the opposite end thereof outwardly of the display structure.

Having described the structural details of selected embodiments of the invention and having also indicated the assembly thereof to form the present novel display structure, the use of the latter will readily be appreciated. Since the club head is the important part of the golf club sofar as display purposes are concerned, the device furnishes a very satisfactory means for display, inasmuch as all club heads protrude outwardly and are openly visible from without the structure. Clubs may be handled and closely examined without even removing them from the structure, but when a particular club is desired to be removed and held in the hands or hefted for weight and feel, its shaft may easily be withdrawn from the structure simply by grasping the club head and pulling. Quite clearly, there is essentially no possibility of dislodging other clubs when withdrawing a particular one from the structure for close examination and feel, since substantially the entire shaft of each club lies within the structure and even with a small spacing between adjacent club heads there is little probability of a person accidentally completely withdrawing two clubs from the structure when he intends only to withdraw a single one. Also, there is no opportunity for clubs to he accidentally bumped together to mar each other, either while resting in their tubular passages or while being inserted thereinto or withdrawn therefrom.

The great virtue of the device, however, is in the overlying, criss-crossed pattern of the shafts within the device, by which a very great savings in space is provided. For example, the rows of apertures in each single display surface may be positioned approximately six inches apart in order to provide a very adequate but nonetheless relatively close clearance space between overlying or vertically adjacent rows of clubs projecting from that surface, and with a number of apertures in each horizontal row sufficient to receive a complete set of golf clubs, a total of eight complete sets of clubs may be displayed from each side of the structure with each side having a vertical extent only slightly in excess of four feet. With the preferred square four-sided structure, this means that a total of thirty-two sets of thirteen or fourteen clubs each may be displayed in a space only slightly in excess of four feet x four feet x four feet, i.e., a total of over four hundred golf clubs in such a small space. If such clubs were to be placed in vertical alignment along a wall or the like in the typical manner, this would require an unoccupied wall space of approximately twenty feet in length. Thus, the device of the invention provides a great improvement in looks and attractiveness of the display, a great savings in the required space, and a very significant added margin of safety for the clubs or other objects which are to be displayed.

After having become familiar with the foregoing details of the invention, those skilled in the pertinent arts may very well design other similar structures which embody the concepts underlying the invention, or may change certain specific details of the structure set forth and described herein. Accordingly, all such further embodiments and changes in structure as utilize the concept of the invention and are within the spirit thereof are to be considered within the scope of the claims appended herebelow, unless these claims by their language specifically state otherwise.

We claim:

1. A storage and display structure for elongate objects such as golf clubs and the like, comprising in combination: means defining a structure having a display surface with at least a portion thereof being generally vertically disposed; a plurality of apertures formed in said surface, each of a size sutficient to slidably receive one end of a desired elongate object; and means within said structure and behind said surface forming a plurality of individual generally hollow passages; each such passage being disposed generally horizontally or inclined upwardly from the horizon, and having an opening therethrough comparable in size to that of one of said apertures; each such passage communicating with one such aperture to receive that portion of an object inserted thereinto, such that a large number of such objects may be securely stored individually by insertion of each into one of said passages and such that each such object may be visibly displayed While being stored by arranging a portion of the object to protrude from the corresponding aperture; certain of said apertures and passages being offset and spaced from other such apertures and passages; and each such spaced and offset passage spatially intersecting other such passages and arranged to lie across the same without physically intersecting.

2. The storage and display structure ,defined in claim 1, wherein said structure constitutes a peripherally walled enclosure whose outer periphery forms said display surface, wherein said apertures pass through the walls forming the said enclosure, wherein said enclosure includes individual planar walls which are angularly related, wherein the said apertures and passages associated with each such related wall are offset from those associated with the other such walls; wherein said passages each extend substantially normal to their associated related walls into the interior of said enclosure, and wherein the passages of each such wall spatially intersect those of other such walls and are arranged to lie across each other Without physically intersecting.

3. The storage and display structure defined in claim 1, wherein said passages are shorter in length than said objects and have an inner terminal end, such that when said objects are inserted into said passages the inserted end of the object may contact said terminal end to cause a predetermined portion of the object to remain outside the passage and display surface, for visible display of such portion.

4. The storage and display structure defined in claim 2, wherein said means forming said passages comprise individual tubular members and structure for supporting said members in place within said enclosure and in communication with desired individual ones of said apertures.

5. The storage and display structure defined in claim 4, wherein said passages are shorter in length than said objects and have an innerterminal end, such that when said objects are inserted into said passages the inserted end of the object may contact said terminal end to cause a predetermined portion of the object to remain outside the passage and display surface for visible display of such portion.

6. The storage and display structure defined in claim 4, wherein said tubular members extend at least partially through their respective apertures and are removable from said enclosure through such apertures.

7. The storage and display structure defined in claim 2, wherein said means forming said passages comprise blocks of relatively solid structural material having hollow recesses formed therein.

8. The storage and display structure defined in claim 7, wherein said blocks are stacked upon each other within said enclosure to vertically support one another, and are retained laterally at least in part by the presence of said walls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 167,937 10/1952 Friedel. 540,268 6/ 1895 Newell. 1,119,702 12/1914 Infeld 312-9 2,024,484 12/ 1935 Smith. 2,435,893 2/1948 Mall 211- XR 2,415,314 2/1947 Todd 211-60 XR ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner. A. FRANKEL, Assistant Examiner. 

